Episode reviews

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Not much to say here. It's my first blog post ever actually and I've decided to do episode reviews for both Avatar series in no real order. They won't be very long and they won't be every episode because I may just not feel like it. I will practice this the most with ATLA. Enjoy!

1. "Sokka's Master"

Gotta agree with fruitpit for the most part, this episode was pretty weak, probably because I'm not much for Sokka. But seriously, the guy spent two and a half seasons at that point holding his own with benders and even pulled a big save against Mai and Tylee. {How you gonna fight without your bending?" "I seem to manage!"} His confidence was never all that shaken then, but here he's told to stay back for the first and ONLY time...against a meteor no less and suddenly, he feels useless? Over react much? I also hated how everyone else was written during Sokka's absence. Katara's suddenly can't tell a joke? Toph's got nothing witty to say? Aang's suddenly bored? No one can read a map? Clearly, this is a clumsy way of showcasing Sokka's importence by dumbing everyone down. I did enjoy everything else though.

2. "The runaway"

My least favorite episode ever. What was meant to showcase Katara's caring nature is poorly executed here on so many levels. We begin with Katara and Toph suddenly mad at one another for no given reason, even displaying their previous argument from "the chase" in the "previously" segment as though it was relavant info. This in spite of the two previously being able to goof around together with no real problems. Katara ultimately comes off as just being a ticked off friend instead of a surrogate mom and her status as the "no fun" member of the group is as out of nowhere as Toph's sudden carefree attitude despite the turning point in the war and Aang's love of scams.

3. "the painted lady"

A weird episode. Why does Katara automaticly assume the Painted Lady isn't real and put together such a scheme so fast? Where was the real Painted Lady anyway?

I'm sorry but I'm with Wan shi tong here. Sokka did nothing but prove him right and no one calls him on it.

7. The desert

A very depressing episode and Sokka is moronic. How come Aang doesn't yell at him?

8. Serpent's pass

Not bad but Aang's withdrawn attitude was hard to watch. Great ending though.

9.The Beach

Not bad but it tried a little too hard to create sympathy for Azula, which came outta nowhere.

10. The Avatar and the Fire Lord

Near perfection but it does raise questions about character ages.

11. The Boy in the Iceberg/ the avatar returns

I'm Back with more and I'll be starting with the episodes where it all began. Great but Sokka is rather unlikable.

12. Southern Air Temple

13. Most of the action takes place with Zuko and the Gaang's storyline is ho-hum up until the very end but you can't deny the awesomeness of both the first Agni Kai and the total despair Aang must've felt at the sight of Gyatso's corpse. Average ep with a touching ending.

14. Warriors of Kyoshi

Awesome intro to Suki and Aang was epic in the way he saved the village. We also see Aang and Katara's first fightt which is cute and the way Sokka gets pounded is hilarious. It's stuff like that that reinforced my belief that Sokka is the weakest non-bender in canon. Solid episode.

15. Great episode and notable for being Cabbage Merchant's first appearence. The only thing you have to wonder about is Bumi can be king of a city while the Earth King rules the whole nation but whatev.

16. Imprisoned

A solid episode {no pun intended} where Katara get to shine. It's too bad her one and only inspiring speech in this episode is later flanderised but more on that later.

17. the Spirit world two-parter

An excellent two parter if ever there was one. First, you get to see how awesome Iroh really is and a bit more of Zuko's well-hidden nobility and then, the gaang gets to be epic in all fronts.

18. Water bending scroll

Pretty average but it does get points for the way it handled Katara's jealousy well. Kind of makes me wonder why it wasn't brought up later in "the runaway." It could've been used well two way, either Katara could've used the personal al experience to show Toph the danger of scams or Toph could've used it to call Katara a hypocrite.

19. Jet

Solid episode even if the title character later becomes an object of confusion for me in later epsodes. More on this later.

20. Great Divide

A lot of fans say this is a pretty meaningless filler. I have to agree because it effects the show in no way at all. That being said, it isn't neccesarily a bad episode. The only real problem is that Sokka and Katara act really dumb and are no real help here. I really have to give Aang my sympathy here and can't really imagine how many pointless arguments between the siblings he had to mediate off-screen The ending was also rather clever.

21. The Storm

Now this is definitely a crowner episode. I can't think of a better way backstories could be handled. We're given a new dimension to Aang and Zuko that make you want these two to be friends eventually, something that gets attempted by Aang in...

22. The Blue Spirit

Another excellent episode that honestly gets you in the end because you've no real reason to expect Zuko to be the title character at first/

23. the Fortune Teller

A average ep to be honest but the shipping hints are handled well enough. Admittably, Aang is somewhat rude to Meng at first but he does fix it in the end. However, a nicer ending would have had her meeting a large eared boy in my opinion. It's also notable for introducing Jessie Flower, future series regular. I could've done without Sokka's rabid attempts to disprove Aunt Wu. TBH, given what he'd been through thus far, who is he to judge really?

24. Bato of the Water Tribe

Another average ep but June was a nice character. Makes me wish she had a recurring role. This was another episode where Aang does something questionable but I have to say that the reaction was a bit overblown and a bit cold. Yes, Aang shouldn't have taken the message but I can't help but think that Sokka also invited himself more than anything because Bato starts to say something but gets interrupted. There may be some evidence to this when Bato shows annoyance towards Sokka under his breath. Nothing too big but worth noticing.]

25. I'm skipping the Deserter but I will say that Sokka's reaction was a bit much considering Aang was clearly remorseful enough on his own.

26. Northern Air Temple

A good episode that shows Aang struggling with being a boy out of time for once. You can understand how he feels despite being a bit stand-offish at first.

27. the Water bending Master

A good episode though I would've liked to see Katara beat Pakku somehow.

28. Seige of the North two parter

Near-perfect way to end the arc and the introduction of Koh will always be awesome. Despite the little impact he had, he was endearing to the fan-base which speaks volumes. I'm still lamenting his absence from LOK book 2! I do have to say I did loathe Yue as a character {don't ask me why, I just do} and her sacrifice was well-done though it did little to make me like her.

29. The Avatar State

Very nice episode where we finally get an explanation for Aang's previously unamed {something I just realised at this moment} ultimate power and why it can't always be used to save the day. We also get another glimpse of Aang's guilt and how this is used to manipulate his cooperation. This and the intro of Azula make this a season primere worth watching.

30. Cave of Two Lovers

This was a nice episode though it did have a few bumps in it. Katara's anger towards Aang wasn't exactly neccesary but it's forgotten a few minutes afterwards so this can largely be ignored. Zuko's theif of an ostrich-horse however, can't be as easily forgiven since it's given no closure at all.

31. Return to Omashu

Not much to say here as the episode is pretty average. We get to see Azula being ruthless and the first hint of a love interest for Zuko but other than that it's so-so.

32. the swamp

A great if not sort of spooky episode that delivers a message ultimately setting the stage for LOK. We also see Katara's mom for the first time in a way, as well as toph.

33. Avatar Day

This episode, like the great divide, is considered meaningless filler. Unlike the great divide, the information does get a call back down the road and like it's predecessor, succeeds in being solid and entertaining.

34. The blind bandit

We now come to Toph's introductory episode, which is solid {no pun intended} but shockingly enough, Toph isn't the most intesting thing about it. Sorry Toph fans but while I don't dislike the blind earth bender, I can't help but feel she gets a bit too much attention like Sokka. I got the most joy from Katara's thug routine and Sokka's stupidity. Like the desert scene sometime later this season, he's no help but it's more comical when it doesn't contrast the mood of the entire episode.

35. The chase

I'm skipping Zuko alone because I already shared my thoughts on it and bringing us to the very next episode. It's honestly great and seeing Zuko and Iroh work with the Gaang for the first time was epic, particularly the attack with all four elements at once and seeing Katara genuinely offer to heal Iroh despite the past between them was a particularly nice touch. However, there is one bit that kept this from getting a 10/10 and sadly, it's one of my favorites that sets it in motion. Katara hon, I love ya and Toph did beheave like something of a jerk, but...mocking her blindness? Not cool.

If it were anyone else but Toph, Katara would be nothing short of a bully. I'm surprisd the line didn't complaints.

36. Bitter Work

Average ep, though it does give greater insight into the contrast between the Elements and their respective bending styles. I still think toph was a bit too harsh with Aang.

37. The drill

Not much to say but a great episode regardless. Nice to see Aang in good spirits again.